Page 66 of Bad Boy Done Wrong
He nodded. “My size and deep voice also give me an advantage. They indicate dominance and, therefore, protection.”
She slipped her hands under his shirt and felt him up from abs to chest. “Uh-huh, keep talking, Professor.”
He obliged. “Gifts are very important. The gift of food, but any gift that indicates the male will be a good provider. The only exception is matriarchal societies, which are few and far between. In that case, the gifts are given to the male.”
Her hands stilled. That was cool. “Like what?”
“Flowers, jewelry, sweets, or larger items like livestock, property, a house. I’d like to buy you a house.”
Her jaw dropped. “Zach!”
He tipped her chin up, closing her jaw. “Don’t look so surprised. I’m a good provider living modestly. My savings are decent.”
She kissed him. “Your academic talk is getting me hot.”
He flashed a smile and cupped her ass, holding her against him. “I wear long-sleeve button-down collared shirts with dress pants and a belt to work.”
She laughed. “Of course you do. What else?”
He nipped her bottom lip. “I’ll likely be offering you love letters and/or poems. If you find all of these acceptable, and you don’t mind where I came from—”
“I don’t.”
“Then you should know I will also be a suitable procreative partner. Healthy virile male.” His brows furrowed, deep in thought, before he concluded, “That about covers it.” He cradled her jaw, stroking lightly across her cheek. “You light up my world, Carrie. You’re my mate.”
My mate.Her heart squeezed at the odd but perfectly Zach phrasing and she melted, just melted, legs quivering, actually weak at the knees. She clung to him, her throat nearly closed with the huge ball of emotion lodged there. Love, it waslove. She never thought she’d find it again. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said in the history of the universe! You’re going to make me cry.” A tear escaped that he wiped away with his thumb. “You’re my mate too!”
He hugged her for a long moment, cupping her head to his chest. She let out a shuddering breath, relaxing again safe in his arms.
He pulled back far enough to meet her eyes. “If you’re not ready to move in with me, I’ll put your stuff back. It was symbolic, that gesture, though I’d love to have you here with me.” He kissed her and spoke against her lips. “Where you belong.”
He pulled away so suddenly, she was dazed for a moment. He studied her, seeming to be waiting for her to say something.
“Are my clothes already in your dresser?” she asked.
He went to the dresser and opened three drawers. Completely empty. “I made room, but I didn’t want to be presumptuous. Just brought enough over to drive the symbolism home. I want you in my life.”
She clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes stinging. He studied her in his observant way, watching with an intensity that told her exactly how important she was to him. She turned, walked a few steps away, then ran and leaped at him. He caught her and she peppered him with kisses all over his face. A zillion suns burst through her in euphoric joy.
“Is that a yes to moving in?” he asked with a laugh.
“Yes! I love you! Yes!” She rubbed her cheek against his beard, practically purring in contentment. Then she lifted her head to find him smiling that rare sweet smile that made her heart sing. “You’re so sweet. I never knew how sweet. I’d swoon at your feet if you weren’t holding me.”
He snapped his teeth at her. “I’m a wolf. Watch yourself.”
A hot shiver raced down her spine. “You’re so much better than any fantasy I could ever dream up. You’re like a dream come true.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes, the unspoken connection more powerful than all the words in the world.
She kissed him again. “Now, Professor, tell me all about your research.” She wanted to understand that side of him.
He set her back on her feet and lifted a finger in full professor mode. “That would actually help me a lot. I’ve been wanting to bring my work to a nonacademic audience. If I can explain it to a nonanthropologist like yourself, and you understand it, I’ll know I’m on the right track. I just need to unpack everything from my wall of boxes and organize it as a whole. Give me a week on that.”
She beamed. It seemed when it was a topic dear to his heart, he had a lot to say. “Okay. Now that we’re being completely honest, what did you think of me when I handed you my wish list, thinking you were a bad boy? Did you think I was a naïve idiot?”
“No.” He stroked her hair back from her face and then cradled her jaw, his gaze tender. “I read between the lines.”
“And?” she whispered.
